In the wake of a contradiction in the regulation regarding the use of foreign driver’s licenses in Israel by foreign nationals, the Knesset Economics Committee, on Monday, 24 Adar I 5774 is due to approve a significant change in order to correct the current regulation, the precise interpretation of which is in dispute. The new regulation is expected to take effect in April 2014.

The new regulation determines that a foreign driver’s license held by any foreign national (over the age of 17) will be valid in Israel for a period of 1 year from the date of last entry to Israel (so far – no change).

The new regulation redefines “last entry to Israel” and states that last entry is “the last entry to Israel which followed a stay of 3 consecutive months outside of Israel”, or in the original Hebrew:

“כניסתו האחרונה” – כניסתו האחרונה לישראל שברצוף לפניה שהה מחוץ לישראל שלושה חודשים רצופים לפחות.

In other words, only an absence from Israel of at least 3 consecutive months will reset the count for another one year of driving with a foreign license.

If a foreign national enters and departs the country frequently, but is never absent from Israel for three consecutive months, he or she must convert their foreign license to Israeli license (including a one-off road test, with no theory test). Converting the license is done at the Ministry of Transportation only.

In addition, please note:

· Regarding insurance, it is the responsibility of the driver to coordinate with his or her insurance company / car rental company that he/she is fully insured using a foreign license.

· All the above refers to driving a vehicle under 3.5 tons (Categories A + B). For heavy vehicles (Categories C + D + E) your license will be valid in Israel only if less than three months have passed since the last entry.

· Driver’s licenses from enemy countries, i.e Lebanon, Syria, Iran, are not valid in Israel under any circumstances. If your license was issued by a country that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, please check in advance if this applies to you.

· This announcement regards all foreign citizens (i.e, not Israeli residents or citizens), and their family members.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)